Missing - ELI COTTON - Can You Find Him?

[pennydog]

What happened to Eli?

Eli Cotton born 1855 son of Eli and Elizabeth Cotton.
1861 census RG09-235-56-27 he is in Shoreditch with his parents and siblings, aged 6.
1871 census RG10-453-40-13 he is in Shoreditch with his parents and siblings, he is aged 15 and a warehouse boy.
1879 25/12 he marries Emma Laura Thompson, his occupation is Hatter and the witnesses are his sister Sarah and William Gray. His address is 45 Downham Road.
1880 Eli Henry Cotton is born
1881 census RG11-264-7-7 he is living at 165 Downham Road, Islington, with Emma and his son (both are entered on the original as Ely and the surname Cotten). His widowed mother and siblings are living in the same house. There is no occupation for Eli.

This is the last sighting of Eli.

1891 RG12-181-1-8 Emma and her son Eli are living with her mother in Stoke Newington, she is a married machinist.
1901 RG13-197-69-1 Emma and her son Eli are living with her mother in Islington, she is a married umbrella machinist.
1911 RG14PN1018RG78PN34SD1ED14SN92 Emma and her mother are back in Stoke Newington (young Eli has married), Emma is now a widow.

I have look on the censuses for 1891 & 1901 for Eli but have found nothing. I have looked for a death for Eli 1881-1911 again nothing (When you enter Eli you also get all the Elizas and Elizabeths too). Can see no likely candidate on the emigration lists. So where could he have gone? It appears he had no trade/expertise. The only thing I can think is that he abandoned Emma and changed his name, but why then would she list herself as married until 1911?

Any help or ideas very welcome.

[Nicolina]

There could be any number of reasons e.g. he had died but she didn't know it, or maybe he was in jail. Unfortunately FMP is down for maintainence so I am unable to look for him, at the moment

[pattenwalsh]

Well in truth,although Eli may well have left Emma she was still married and so would describe herself as such,But then in 1911 or before she learns that he has died and she becomes a widow.Did she learn this information because she was left something in Eli's will! or were they in touch all the time .

[geneius]

Have you looked at the Eli COTTON death for q1 1878,there are either 2 entries or one entry duplicated on different pages!

Looking at them

Shoreditch 1C 62
Shoreditch 1c 63

Have you seen the Eli jnrs marriage entry, what is shown for the father?

[bjelkier]

This can't be the death of Eli [born 1855] as he didn't marry Emma until 1879, - possibly his father?

[geneius]

Ooops!

[pennydog]

Have you looked at the Eli COTTON death for q1 1878,there are either 2 entries or one entry duplicated on different pages!

Looking at them

Shoreditch 1C 62
Shoreditch 1c 63

Have you seen the Eli jnrs marriage entry, what is shown for the father?

Yes this is the death of Eli Cotton b1819, father of the Eli b1855 that I am searching for. I have not yet purchased the marriage cert (sadly it not on Ancestry) for Eli b1880, it is on my list but not yet at the top - perhaps it could be the key to unlock this. Eli 1855 is my g.grandfather's brother and the only one of 7 children who I cannot fully account for, so he is not vital to trace - I am just mystified as to his disappearance.
Pattenwalsh, you may be right - although the idea he may have left a will seems unlikely (not one of 'mine' has ever had anything to leave so far!), Eli and Emma may have kept in contact - I was wondering how long the marriage actually lasted, they married Dec 1879, child born Dec quarter 1880, together 1881 census then Emma returns to live with her mother. If he did die between 1901 & 1911 why can't I find a death registration for him (unless of course he had changed his name)?
Last night I went through all the Eli's b1855+/- 2 years in London 1891 & 1901 to see if there were any likely mis-transcriptions, nothing 'jumped' out at me - it surprised me how many Eli's there were (hence I only looked in London).

[janbooth]

Here is the actual baptismal entry for Eli Henry:

Born 5 October, bap 7 November 1880 Eli Henry COTTON son Eli & Emma Laura, 165 Downham Road, Traveller

and also the actual Parish Register entry for Eli & Emma Laura's marriage:

25 December 1879 at All Saints Church in parish of St Mary Haggerston Eli COTTON, 24, bachelor, Hatter, 45 Downham Road, father Eli COTTON, Coach Trimmer & Emma Laura THOMPSON, 27, spinster, 48 Mortimore Road, father William THOMPSON, Engineer. Witnesses: William GRAY & Sarah COTTON. All signed their names

It looks as if Eli COTTON snr was married to an Elizabeth as there is a baptism at St Botolph Bishopgate on 24 Dec 1848 (born 7 Dec) of an Elizabeth Wood COTTON daughter Eli & Elizabeth, 27 Skinner Street, Coach Builder.

Can't find an appropriate death at the moment but will keep looking.

Janet

[pennydog]

You are spot on Jan, Eli's siblings (of Eli Cotton and Elizabeth Walker) are Alice 1846 m Henry Coulden 1869, Elizabeth Wood remains single dies 1916, Sarah Walker stays single and dies 1908 (she and Elizabeth live together with Thomas), Thomas 1866 single dies 1891, My g. grandad William b1844 (marries Hannah Reeder 1865). All of this family have been traced with the exception of Eli post 1881 - he remains ellusive.
Thanks for your interest.

[pennydog]

Well have spent the past few days looking for Eli on the military records online, as it occurred to me that he may have become a soldier and been posted (and died) overseas - and I have drawn another blank.
I have checked the census for Scotland, Wales and the Channel Isles - again nothing.
I have traced everyone of Eli's siblings and checked that he is not living with them or in the same house or nearby.
Am I correct in thinking that if he was in jail he would appear as E Cotton on the census? if so, again no trace.
I am now so exasperated that I am going to order the marriage cert for his son Eli Henry just to find out what was entered for his father.